Depleted Bannsiders pick up vital win at Warrenpoint to ease their worries

A 2-1 defeat at the hands minnows Warrenpoint Town had Oran Kearney contemplating his future.

So the irony of Saturday’s crucial win over Barry Gray’s side was not lost on Kearney Gareth Tommons 67th minute strike sealed the Bannsiders Premiership future with two games to go.

“The defeat at Warrenpoint earlier this season was a very low point so yeah it was ironic that we were able to come here and pick up a positive result, which all but seals our place in the Premiership,” Kearney told Times Sport.

“It was a tense, edgy day for us. We probably should have secured our safety three or four games ago, but things went against us.

“We came into the game very depleted with Gary Browne and Stevie Lowry both suspended.

“Things were so bad we had to included three injured players - Stephen Douglas, Shane Jennings and Joe McNeill - on the bench.

“But credit to the lads they produced a good performance and got the job done.

“It was vital we picked up the win today and with the other results we have eased any worries about slipping into the play-off place.

“We certainly didn’t want to leave anything to chance. As I said we probably should have got to this point a couple of weeks back, but our destiny was always in our own hands.

“It’s nice now that we have done it with a couple of games to spare.”

The Bannsiders now travel to Ards on Easter Tuesday before wrapping up the current campaign at home to Dungannon Swifts on Saturday. Kearney is determined to finish the season with as many points as possible, but he also wants to blood a few reserve players also.

“We want to finish on a high obviously, but we have a number of players struggling with injury and I also want to give a few reserve players a run out so I can have a look at them,” added Kearney.